‘No reason to worry, water will recede soon’: Suvendu reviews flood situation in Bengal

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari reassured the public that there was no cause for concern regarding the flooding in various parts of the state. During an emergency meeting at the Water Resources Department office, Adhikari inspected the situation with senior officials from multiple departments and district magistrates.

He noted that heavy to extremely heavy rainfall had led to inundation in several areas of the Lower Damodar Valley, with water flowing above danger levels in Khanakul, Jangipara, and Udaynarayanpur. Despite this, Adhikari stated that people did not need to worry, as the situation would improve and the water would recede soon. He reported that evacuations were underway from vulnerable areas and arrangements were being made to relocate cattle to safer locations.

Adhikari also acknowledged that rising river levels had put pressure on dams, but emphasized that the administration was managing the crisis effectively. He praised the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) for its handling of the situation, highlighting that the DVC had reduced the amount of water being released. Adhikari pointed out that despite the adverse conditions, no dam had cracked, unlike during the monsoon under the previous Trinamool government when sandbags were used to control the situation.

The Lower Damodar Valley, particularly in Howrah and Hooghly districts, remains susceptible to flooding during monsoon season. Several areas have been submerged due to the heavy rainfall, triggering the depression. State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), civil defense, and police personnel are actively involved in rescue and relief operations in the affected regions.

Authorities are also working to provide food and clean drinking water to those displaced by the flooding. The administration is closely monitoring the situation, with officials instructed to ensure that residents in the inundated areas do not encounter significant hardships as the water levels are anticipated to decrease.